Freindship Favours
by Pvsdsuperfan
Summary: Ste and Doug want to have a baby and ask Cheryl to be a surrogate. even if she says yes, they'll have big bro Brendan to contend with... is it really worth it?


'Cheryl, There's something really important I need to ask you.' Ste stared into Cheryl's eyes, full of desperation and hope.

'Are you ok?' Cheryl thought something was wrong. The look in his eyes was not one she had seen before.

'It's about me and Doug…' Cheryl's initial thought was Brendan; she knew how conniving he could be. Look how he broke up Ste and Noah? Brendan is nothing more or less of a spoilt brat because what Brendan wants, Brendan gets.

'What's he done?' Brendan hadn't been around in a while, he claimed to be spending some time with his kids in Ireland but Cheryl is in regular contact with Declan vie facebook and he hadn't said anything.

'Who?'

'Brendan!'

'I don't know!' Ste had a clueless expression on his face as he tried to work out why Cheryl was asking him what Brendan does on a day-to-day basis

'Oh, jesus, it must be bad!' Cheryl began to fret massively, pacing the flat she shared with Brendan with her hand rested on her forehead.

'What? No… I need the biggest favour from you'. Ste eventually realised that a misunderstanding was in place so he sat down and urged Cheryl to do the same.

'What's the matter?' the tension was thickening up. And although, thank the lord, it had nothing to do with Brendan, something was definitely wrong.

'Me and Doug, we're getting married. Well, having a civil partnership!' The biggest grin appeared on Ste's face. He loved Doug and it felt so right. Although Brendan always had a place in his heart (whether he admitted or not is another story), Doug was his man.

'There's something I need to ask you… We've moved in together, we're getting married, which you know, but there's one more thing we really want… We want to have a baby'

'That's so amazing!' Cheryl flew open her arms and leaped on to Ste. Despite the awkwardness that sometimes appeared due to the fact that Cheryl is Brendan's sister and Ste and Brendan have more history than the tower of London, they were best friends and they thought the world of each other.

'But we can't unless we have a mother. We need someone to donate an egg, carry the baby and give birth. We were hope it would be you'. Ste gazed into Cheryl's eyes once again with a mixture of guilt and hope. Was it unfair of him to ask such a thing? Cheryl's face dropped. How, what, where, when and why! How did they make this decision? What made them do it? Where did the idea come from? When did they decide it and why did they choose her? She was very honoured, but having a baby and giving it up is a massive thing to ask of someone and Brendan wouldn't want his little sister to have to go through that. Oh god, Brendan! What will he think? He sunk into a depression when he found out about Ste and Doug's civil partnership, for a month he didn't once leave the house. He just sat around all day drinking whisky, even Declan had to talk sense into him. Well, he attempted…

'Me?' Cheryl knew only too well she was unlucky in love and that all she wanted was to be happy with the man of her dreams, maybe marriage but babies? What if Ste and Doug wanted to raise the baby alone and they wanted him/her to have nothing to do with Cheryl? Could she live with that? A million questions ran through her mind yet none of them could be processed. Was this real, or was she about to wake up soon and realise it was all a dream?

'Yeah, we proper thought it through and you mean the world to both of us. Plus if it's nothing like Doug-'

'Doug?'

'Well, yeah… I already got two kids aint i? Yeah, if it's nothing like Doug, then we'd want it to be you.. and you can be just as involved as me Doug, you'll proper be it#s mum '. Cheryl stood up and began to shake her head vigorously. It was clear she was scared and was starting to panic.

'Mum?' The image of Cheryl walking through the village in three years time and having a two year old running up to her calling her 'mum' was quite scary, Really scary. She'd always wanted kids, she loved kids... and she certainly without a doubt wasn't against gay couples getting married or having children of there own, but this? This was strange… Again, it wasn't homophobia or anything, it was.. she didn't know what it was!

'Yeah! We could be proper parents, the three of us…. It'll be perfect' Ste clearly got carried away and failed to notice Cheryl's reaction who was starting to have a panic attack. 'I think I'd better go…' Ste noticed Cheryl was almost on the floor, clutching her chest breathing heavily. She wasn't having a heart attack although the emotions she was feeling would have been the equivalent.

A week later, Brendan finally returned home after a week of no contact with anyone. Cheryl was still in shock from ste's revelation and so Brendan was greeted by Cheryl lay on the sofa, in her pyjamas, staring at the ceiling.

'Very nice' Brendan commented as he swooped past the sofa, headed into the kitchen and began to pour himself a glass of whisky.

'And where have you been?' The only part of Cheryl's body that moved was her lips, the rest of her lay frozen.

'I told ye, I been with the kids!' Brendan seemed to have a short fuse, he didn't need or want anybody knowing his whereabouts every minute of every day.

'So why when I asked him on facebook did Declan not reply?'

'Because I told him not to. I wanted it to be just us'. Brendan grabbed his glass and made his way to the living room. He could have sat anywhere, but he chose to be awkward and sit with Cheryl on the sofa. 'Move up. What's wrong with you anyway? Ever since I walked in you've barely moved'. Cheryl toyed with the thought of telling him. After all, he is her brother and maybe he could give some advice? Then again, It is Brendan, and it is Ste… 'Well? Jesus Christ sis, ye either gonna tell me or your not!'

'It's Ste, ok? He's asked me to do him a favour-'

'What favour?' Brendan shot forward defensively. Not only had Ste smashed his heart into millions of pieces but now he wanted something from his sister?

'He and Doug..' Cheryl took a deep breathe. Was she really doing the right thing by telling him or was she making the biggest mistake of her life? 'As you know, Ste and Doug are getting married and they want to have a baby. They also want me to be a surrogate'. The more she went on, the more spaced and quieter her words became. Unfortunately for, Brendan heard and he didn't react well. 'Are you mad, Chez? You're actually going to consider it?' Brendan flew up off the sofa and hovered over Cheryl. 'Bren, Don't let your personal feelings interfere, please'. Cheryl sat up. 'It's a really special and privileged thing you can do for someone and yes, I am considering it. Besides, Ste said I could be involved with the child as much as I want. We'd be three parents instead of two'. Cheryl smiled as the thought of having a baby of her own. This time, it seemed a lot less scary than when the image first entered her mind.

'But it's wrong chez! People get married and have kids; it's the way the world works. Gay people don't get married and have kids, its wrong!' Cheryl was shocked and angry by Brendan's outburst. How dare he come out with something so homophobic and narrow-minded? Especially when he's been married, had kids and he's gay!

'Yeah? Well I think it's great and I'm really considering it and if you don't like it, you know where the door is!' Cheryl stood up and faced Brendan head on. A lot of people were afraid of him, but Cheryl certainly was not. Brendan didn't reply, he just necked his whisky, grabbed his blazer and stormed out.

A week later, Cheryl went to visit Ste and Doug at the restaurant. It was empty, so there was no chance of anybody overhearing the conversation. Still, just to be on the safe side, Cheryl turned over the open sign so any passers by wouldn't just walk in.

'I've made a decision…' Both Ste and Doug stood behind the counter, looking at Cheryl with hope. 'I'll do it'. Both Ste and Doug smiled enormously before running over to Cheryl and giving her the biggest hug they could.

'You have no idea what this means to us'. Doug couldn't wipe the smile of his face as he gazed into Cheryl's eyes with so much admiration and gratefulness. Tears began to fill his eyes as the thought of he, Ste and baby 'Brayder' living together as the perfect family filled his mind. 'We've looked into artificial insemination and we can do it ourselves. Of course, that's totally up to you, you know it's your privacy things and all we want to do is respect that. We just thought it's better than sleeping together and having some stranger do it'. As excited as she was, she felt as though she had signed her life away and wondered if she was only doing this to spite Brendan, who had made it only too obvious he was against it. He even went as far as paying visits to both Ste and Doug to try to persuade them not to allow her to do it, if she chose to. This of course, only made Cheryl more determined to do it.

Within a week Ste, Doug and Cheryl were booked into a clinic to start the process. Cheryl hadn't yet told Brendan she was planning on impregnating herself with Doug's sperm, mostly due to the fact that he was acting like a moody teenage refusing to speak to her and stomping about.

'Are you sure you want to do this?' Both Ste and Doug were eternally grateful to Cheryl for even considering the idea. It was a major, life changing thing to ask and they would genuinely understand if she backed out. Naturally they would be disappointed but it would understandable.

'No, I'm sure'. Cheryl said with a huge sigh. Was this really her? She never imagined herself in this position or never thought about how she would react if she was ever asked. The real reason why she did it, she believed was that she would be a part of the Childs life. She wasn't just going to be a surrogate, she would also be a mother with full legal rights and access to the child. Besides, if she wasn't going to have a child now with her best friend and his partner, when would she ever have one?

Ste and Doug waited anxiously in the reception area whilst Cheryl was inseminated. They were warned it could take weeks for a positive pregnancy test to show, if it worked… Neither Ste or Doug cared about that; they were just to grateful that Cheryl would do this for them.

A few weeks later, Cheryl once again went to visit Ste and Doug. Only this time, at the flat Ste shared with Amy. Amy however, had moved out and had moved into Jacqui and Rhys' old place with Ally.

'I'm pregnant'. Cheryl blurted out to Ste and Doug who were snuggled up on the sofa watching the Girls Aloud tour on DVD. Doug had never seen the appeal, but Ste insisted that he watched it and he liked it…. Only if he wanted to, and if he loved him.

'Are you sure?' Doug sat up in disbelief. The first time never usually worked and many surrogate mothers did have a positive pregnancy test but weren;t pregnant.

'I've done three tests, and I brought some more, along with five bottles of water!'

'Just to be on the safe side, I think we should do the tests and see a doctor'. Whilst Doug waited outside the bathroom for Cheryl to do more pregnancy tests, Ste phoned the doctor.

'Great, go an appoint-' St bounced to the bathroom door

'Shh, cheryl's in there doing tests!'

'So why do we have to be qute?'

'Because she's done the peeing, we're just waiting'

'Oh' Moments later, the bathroom door opened and Cheryl slowly squeezed through.

'Positive, all of them'.

The doctor also confirmed that Cheryl was Pregnant. Both Ste and Doug were ecstatic but Cheryl was beginning to fret. She wasn't having doubts, nor did she regret agreeing to it, all she was worried about was how she was going to tell Brendan. She decided to grab the bull by the horns and tell him that evening whilst eating dinner.

'Bren, I got something to tell you'

'What's that?' Brendan wasn't really paying much attention, he was too busy shoving spaghetti Bolognese into his mouth.

'I'm pregnant' Brendan's fork fell to the floor vie his shirt and pants, leaving a mark but he didn't care. He sat with his mouth wide open staring at Cheryl unable to say a word. 'well say something!'

'Who is he? I'll kill him!' Brendan stood up instantly and grabbed his blazer. Obviously it was the result of a one night stand the guy, what else would it be?

'Brendan! Sit down… It's not a one night stand, it's..'

'Chez, come on Chez… Please tell me you didn't..'

'I'm sorry Bren but I had to'

'No chez, you didn't have to do anything! You're so stupid, you're a silly little girl who can't use her own brain! What on earth were you thinking? This isn't a game, Chez this is real life, this is a baby!'

'I know that Brendan and just because I'm your baby sister, doesn't mean you have to treat me like one!'

'I wouldn't have to if you didn't act like one! Seriously Chez, what on earth were you thinking? You have done some really stupid things in your time but this is a whole new level!' Without saying another word, Brendan grabbed his blazer and stormed out, slamming the door as he left. Cheryl on the other hand, burst into tears.

'Steven, Douglas… we need to have a little chat!' Cool as a cucumber, Brendan made his way into Ste and Doug's flat, turned off the TV (Ste had decided to watch the Girls Aloud tour again) and stood infront of it. 'One of you has got my little sister into trouble and I need reassurance you're going to look after her'. Brendan put on his mean face, but he wasn't angry. He was, but he didn't want to show it as Brendan's temper and Ste Hay do not mix well.

'We said we'd look after her, anything she wanted, she got. Didn't we Doug?' Ste was one of the people that was not afraid of Brendan. No matter what he did or said, He couldn't hurt Ste.

'Well saying things, and doing things are two very different things'

'And you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?' Ste stood up, confronting Brendan with there noses almost touching.

'Which is why I want you take extra care of her, or else?'

'Or else, what, Brendan? You gonna come round here throwing your weight around acting the big I AM trying to scare us? Well guess what, it isn't going to work. I told you, Cheryl will be looked after… Which is more than you have ever done! And you call yourself her brother? Doors that way, close it on your way out!' Ste coolly took his place on the sofa next to Doug, curling up In the blanket they shared whilst not giving Brendan, who left without saying a word, a second thought.

One year later, Cheryl had moved in with Ste and Doug so that they, along with baby Brendan could be a proper family. They all agreed that Brendan needs his mum just as much as he needs Ste and Doug. Brendan snr AKA Uncle Brendan wasn't too keen on idea but since he still wasn't comfortable with Cheryl having Ste and Doug's baby, even until Brendan Jnr was born, he knew it was for the best. Naturally, he came round to the idea and couldn't deny he was proud about his nephew being named after him.


End file.
